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Enter Counters, Lafey, and Clown.

Laf. No, no, no, your fon was mif-led with a fript

taffata fellow there, whose vaillainous faffron would have made all the unbak'd and dowy youth of a nation in his colour. Your daughter-in-law had been alive at this hour, and your fon here at home more advanc'd by the King than by the red-tail'd humble-bee I speak of.

Count. I would, I had not known him! it was the death of the moft virtuous Gentlewoman that ever Natare had praife for creating; if fhe had partaken of my flesh, and cost me the deareft groans of a mother, E could not have owed her a more rooted love.

Laf. Twas a good Lady, 'twas a good Lady. We may pick a thousand faliets ere we light on fuch another herb.

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Clo. Indeed, Sir, he was the fweet marjoram of the fallet, or rather the herb of grace." Laf. They are not fallet-herbs, you knave, they are nofe-herbs.

Clo, I am no great Nebuchadnezzar, Sir, I have not much skill in grafs.

Laf. Whether doft thou profefs thyfelf, a knave or a fool?

Clo. A fool, Sir, at a woman's fervice; and a knàve,

at a man's

Laf. Your diftinction ?

Clo. I would cozen the man of his wife, and do his fervice.

Laf. So you were a knave at his fervice, indeed.

Clo. And I would give his wife my bauble, Sir, to

do her fervice.

Laf. I will fubfcribe for thee, thou art both knave and fool.

Clo. At yout fervice.

Laf. No, no, ho.

Clo

Clo. Why, Sir, if I cannot ferve you, I can ferve as great a prince as you are.

Laf. Who's that, a Frenchman?

Clo. Faith, Sir, he has an English name; but his phifnomy is more hotter in France than there. Laf. What Prince is that?

Clo. The black Prince, Sir, alias the Prince of Darkness, alias the Devil.

Laf. Hold thee, there's my purfe; I give thee not this, to feduce thee from thy mafter thou talk'st of, ferve him ftill,

Clo. I'm a woodland fellow, Sir, that always lov'd a great fire; and the mafter I fpeak of ever keeps a good fire; but, fure, he is the Prince of the world, let his nobility remain in's court. I am for the house with the narrow gate, which I take to be too little for pomp to enter: fome, that humble themfelves, may; but the many will be too chill and tender, and they'll be for the flow'ry way that leads to the broad gate, and the great fire.

Laf. Go thy ways, I begin to be a weary of thee, and I tell thee fo before, because I would not fall out with thee. Go thy ways, let my horfes be well look'd to, without any tricks.

Clo. If I put any tricks upon 'em, they fhall be jades tricks, which are their own right by the law of Na

ture.

Laf. A fhrewd knave, and an unhappy.

[Exit.

Gount. So he is. My Lord, that's gone, made himfelf much fport out of him; by his authority he remains here, which he thinks is a patent for his fawcinefs; and, indeed, he has no pace, but runs where he will.

Laf. I like him well, 'tis not amifs; and I was about to tell you, fince I heard of the good Lady's death, and that my Lord your Son was upon his return home. I mov'd the King my mafter to fpeak in the behalf of my daughter; which in the minority of them both, his Majesty, out of a felf-gracious remembrance, did frit propofe; his Highness hath promis'd me to do it ;.

and

and to ftop up the difpleasure he hath conceiv'd againft your fon, there is no fitter matter. How do's your Ladyfhip like it?

Count. With very much content, my Lord, and I wish it happily effected.

Laf. His Highness comes poft from Marseilles, of as able a body as when he number'd thirty; he will be here to-morrow, or I am deceiv'd by him that in fuch intelligence hath feldom fail'd.

Count. It rejoices me, that, I hope,. I fhall fee him ere I die. I have letters, that my fon will be here to-. night I fhall befeech your Lordship to remain with me 'till they meet together.

Laf. Madam, I was thinking with what manners E might fafely, be admitted..

Count. You need but plead your honourable privilege.

Laf. Lady, of that I have made a bold charter; but, I thank my God, it holds yet.

Enter Clown..

Clo. O Madam, yonder's my Lord your fon with a patch of velvet on's face; whether there be a fear under't, or no, the velvet knows, but 'tis a goodly patch of velvet; his left cheek is a cheek of two pile and a half, but his right cheek is worn bare.

Count. A fcar nobly got, or a noble fear, is a good livery of honour. So, belike, is that.

Clo. But it is your carbonado'd face.

Laf. Let us go fee your fon, I pray you: Ilong to, talk with the young noble foldier.

Clo. 'Faith, there's a dozen of 'em with delicate fine bats and most courteous feathers, which bow the head, and nod at every man..

[Exeunt

E

I

SCENE, the Court of France, at Marseilles.

Enter Helena, Widow, and Diana, with two Attendants..

B

HELENA.

OUT this exceeding pofting day and night

Muft wear your fpirits low; we cannot help it.. But fince you've made the days and nights as one, To wear your gentle limbs in my affairs; Be bold, you do fo grow in my requital, As nothing can unroot you, In happy time,

Enter a Gentleman.

This man may help me to his Majesty's ear,
If he would spend his power. God fave you, Sir.
Gent. And you,

Hel Sir, I have feen you in the court of France.
Gent, I have been fometimes there.

Hel. I do prefume, Sir, that you are not fallen.
From the report that goes upon your goodness;
And therefore, goaded with most sharp occafions
Which lay nice manners by, I put you to
The ufe of your own virtues, for the which
I shall continue thankful,

Gent. What's your will?

Hel. That it will please you

To give this poor petition to the King,

And aid me with that ftore of power you have,

To come into his prefence.

Gent. The King's not here.

Hel. Not here, Sir?

Gent. Not, indeed.

He hence remov'd last night, and with more hafte

'Than is his use.

Wid. Lord, how we lofe our pains!

Hel. All's well, that ends well yet,

Tho' time seems so adverfe, and means unfit:
I do beseech you, whither is he

gone

e?

Gent. Marry, as I take it, to Rouillon, Whither I'm going.

Hel. I befeech you, Sir,

Y

Since you are like to fee the King before me,
Commend the paper to his gracious hand;
Which, I prefume, fhall render you no blame,
But rather make you thank your pains for it.
I will come after you with what good speed.
Our means will make us means.

Gent. This I'll do for you.

Hel. And you fhall find yourself to be well thank'd, What-e'er falls more. We must to horfe again. Go, go, provide.

Par.

SCENE changes to Roufillon.

Enter Clown, and Parolles.

[Excunt.

OOD Mr. Levatch, give my Lord Lafeu this letter; I have ere now, Sir, been better known to you, when I have held familiarity with fresher cloaths; (36) but I am now, Sir, muddied in fortune's moat, and smell somewhat strong of her strong difpleasure.

Cló.

(36) But I am now, Sir, muddied in Fortune's mood, and smell femee what frong of ber ftrong difpleasure.] Fortune's mood is, without queftion, good fenfe, and very proper and yet I verily believe, the Poet wrote as I have reflor'd in the text; in Fortune's moat;

because the clown in the very next fpeech replies, I will benchforth eat no fish of Fortune's buttering, and again, when he comes to repeat: Parolles's petition to Lafeu, --that bath fall'n into the unclean fishpond of ber difpleafure, and, as be fays, is muddied withal. And again, Pray you, Sir, ufe the carp as you may, &c. In all which places, 'tis obvious, a moat, or pond, is the allufion. Befides, Parolles smelling ftrong, as he says, of Fortune's ftrong difpleasure, carries on the fame image For as the moats round old feats were always replenish'd with fith, fo the Clown's joke of holding his nofe, we may prefume, pro

ceeded: